A closer look at this weekend’s Kentucky Derby prep races
It’s another big weekend for Kentucky Derby prep races, including one that features one of the top prospects in the barn of an up-and-coming trainer -- perhaps you’ve heard of him -- who goes by the name of Bob Baffert.
The six-time Derby winning trainer, who triumphed again last year with Authentic, will send Life is Good to the post for the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at Santa Anita Park. The San Felipe is one of three races Saturday that awards Kentucky Derby qualifying points, along with the Tampa Bay Derby at Tampa Bay Downs and the Gotham Stakes at Aqueduct.
[Kentucky Derby leaderboard, prep results and schedule]
Here’s a look at the top three contenders plus my pick in each race:
Grade 3 Gotham Stakes
Points: 50-20-10-5
Post time: 5:07 p.m. ET
Highly Motivated: Also sired by Into Mischief, Highly Motivated is the 8-5 Morning Line favorite in the mile race for trainer Chad Brown. Owned by Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables, Highly Motivated is two-for-three lifetime with a win in the 6 1/2-furlong Nyquist Stakes last time out, Nov. 6 at Keeneland during the Breeders’ Cup. The 4 1/2-length victory acme in a track-record time of 1:14.99. He’s been training well at Payson Park in Florida. Javier Castellano has the mount.
Freedom Fighter: Baffert doesn’t normally send his Derby possibles to New York, but his California barn is just that full that he had to send Freedom Fighter east to keep them separated. The 5-2 second choice in the Morning Line, Freedom Fighter ran second to Baffert’s Concert Tour after setting the pace in the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes at seven furlongs on Feb. 6. Manuel Franco has the ride on the son of Violence.
Crowded Table: Trained by Chad Brown, Crowded Table is the 9-2 third choice in the Morning Line based on just one lifetime start. The son of More Than Ready won his debut in a six-furlong race Jan. 28 at Aqueduct. Crowded Table broke poorly in that race and fell 7 1/2 lengths behind before rallying.A $185,000 weanling purchase, he is also owned by Klaravich Stables. Eric Cancel is the jockey.
Others: Capo Kane earned 10 Derby qualifying points by winning the Jerome Stakes on Jan. 1. Doug O’Neill has entered Wipe the Slate, who ran a disappointing sixth in the Robert B. Lewis on Jan. 30 at Santa Anita.
My pick: Freedom Fighter
Last 10 Gotham winners
- 2020 - Miscevious Alex
- 2019 - Haikal
- 2018 - Enticed
- 2017 - J Boys Echo
- 2016 - Shagaf
- 2015 - El Kabeir
- 2014 - Samraat
- 2013 - Vyjack
- 2012 - Hansen
- 2011 - Stay Thirsty
Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby
Points: 50-20-10-5
Post time: 5:25 p.m. ET
Candy Man Rocket: Trained by Bill Mott, the son of Candy Ride is the 2-1 favorite in the Morning Line. He’s two-for-three lifetime with a win in the Sam F. Davis over the same track on Feb. 6. And he’s had two good works at Payson Park Training Center for Mott, a Hall of Fame trainer who won the 2019 Kentucky Derby with Country House. Mott won the 2019 Tampa Bay Derby with Tacitus. Junior Alvarado has the ride on Candy Man Rocket. Destin in 2016 was the last colt to win both the Sam F. Davis and the Tampa Bay Derby.
Hidden Stash: Trained by Victoria Oliver, Hidden Stash is the 4-1 second choice in the Morning Line. The son of Constitution is just two-of-five lifetime, but ran third in the Sam F. Davis. Wins at Keeneland and Churchill Downs marked his two-year-old campaign. Rafael Bejarano is the jockey.
Helium: Mark Casse trains the 6-1 third choice in the Morning Line. The son of Ironicus is two-for-two lifetime with a win in the Display Stakes at Woodbine in his last race Oct. 18. So Helium is coming off a four-month layoff and switching surfaces, from synthetic to dirt. Jose Ferrer has the ride. Casse won the 2012 Tampa Bay Derby with Prospective.
Others: Todd Pletcher’s Promise Keeper is one to watch after the son of Constitution broke his maiden at Gulfstream Park on Feb. 6. Saffie Joseph has Super Strong, who won his only lifetime start, taking the Classico Augustin Mercado Revron Stakes in Puerto Rico.
My pick: Promise Keeper
Last 10 Tampa Bay Derby winners
- 2020 - King Guillermo
- 2019 - Tacitus
- 2018 - Quip
- 2017 - Tapwrit
- 2016 - Destin
- 2015 - Carpe Diem
- 2014 - Ring Weekend
- 2013 - Verrazano
- 2012 - Prospective
- 2011 - Watch Me Go
Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes
Points: 50-20-10-5
Post time: 5:45 ET
Life is Good: With Baffert as the trainer and Mike Smith the jockey, Life is Good is the 4/5 Morning Line favorite. The son of Into Mischief, who sired last year’s Derby winner Authentic, Life is Good is two-for-two lifetime, having won the Grade 3 Sham Stakes last time out, Jan. 2. He captured that race by just 3/4 lengths over another Baffert trainee, Medina Spirit, who is also entered in the San Felipe.
Medina Spirit: John Velazquez gets the ride on the son of Prontico, who is 7-2 in the Morning Line. Medina Spirit is two-for-three lifetime with his lone loss coming in that Sham Stakes to Life is Good. Last time out, Medina Spirit won the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes on Jan. 30.
The Great One: Doug O’Neill trains the 4-1 third choice in the Morning Line. The son of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist has won just one of five lifetime starts, but that victory came this year in a Maiden Special Weight race on Jan. 23 at Santa Anita. Before that, the Great One finished second to Spielberg n the Los Alamitos Futurity back on Dec. 19.
Others: Dream Shake broke his maiden Feb. 7 at Santa Anita for trainer Peter Eurton. Roman Centurian ran second to Concert Tour in the Robert B. Lewis for trainer Simon Callaghan.
My pick: Medina Spirit
Last 10 San Felipe winners
- 2020 - Authentic*
- 2019 - (No race)
- 2018 - Bolt d’Oro
- 2017 - Mastery
- 2016 - Danzing Candy
- 2015 - Dortmund
- 2014 - California Chrome*
- 2013 - Hear the Ghost
- 2012 - Creative Cause
- 2011 - Premier Pegasus
- 2010 - Sidney’s Candy
* won Kentucky Derby
